The US-led forces that invaded Iraq had no right to exploit its oil and UN sanctions on Iraq should end only when it has a legitimate government, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said on Saturday.

As tension mounted even after the Police clamped a curfew in Thoppur, Muttur last night, following the LTTE attack which killed four Muslims and wounded six others, Defence Minister Tilak Marapana yesterday flew to Muttur and held discussions with SLMC leader Minister Rauf Hakeem at the Muttur Army Camp.

The fast-unto-death campaign launched by the 69 soldiers which commenced on April 7, opposite the Fort Railway station was temporarily halted on an assurance given by President Chandrika Kumaratunga that she would discuss their grievances on April 25.

Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga arrives in Dhaka this morning on a two-day visit to Bangladesh, being viewed as a big step forward in further expanding and strengthening the existing friendly ties between the two countries.

Chairman of the Iraqi National Congress (INC) Ahmad Chalabi said Friday that he would not nominate himself for any position in the interim government that will replace the former Saddam Hussein regime.

China has confirmed it will join Asean countries in a Bangkok summit later this month to map out a strategy to contain the spread of the deadly disease that has rocked the economy of the region, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said.

Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak yesterday denied rumours that he was planning a trip to China to clear up a misunderstanding concerning Thailand’s treatment of sufferers from Asia’s new killer pneumonia.

Terming her relations with Prime Minister Ranil Wikremesinghe as "horrendous", Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunge has said she was not sacking him as it would lead to political crisis and accused the Government of giving in "too much" to the demands of LTTE.

Making one of the rare visits and a rarer public address here, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today offered a hand of friendship to Pakistan and dialogue with people of Jammu and Kashmir to settle "internal and external issues" but made it clear that guns cannot resolve problems.

India's maritime boundaries were neglected ever since the country's independence as it was always anticipated that aggression against the country could be made only through a land route, Defence Minister George Fernandes said today.

Hong Kong today reported 12 more deaths from the killer atypical pneumonia, the maximum in the territory in a single day, increasing its overall toll to 81, even as the government kicked off an extensive clean up campaign to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.